It's about quality of life - but the help's dirt cheap

The Expat website's fame is spreading far and wide. This was submitted by an American reader, whose love of Nicaragua begins with a maid who costs £60 a month. You've got to admire his honesty...

Well it’s been seven years now that our family has lived in Nicaragua. Our kids have grown up here, we’ve made friends, we like to think we’ve matured into this culture. What we hoped would happen largely has happened, perhaps because our expectations were realistic. Seven years in, we like it better every day, and we plan to stay.

Let’s begin by saying that it hasn’t been all good. No place is perfect and Nicaragua is no exception. The stereotypical Latin American things can get on your nerves: things like the mañana attitude, long lines at the bank, and a general disregard for the importance of time. But electronic banking has meant that we seldom, if ever, walk into a bank any more. The real trick is to learn to “hurry while you wait” as Thomas Edison once said. Attitude is important.

We’ve had some discussions in the past year or two about the possibility of moving back to the US and they usually go like this. ”If we moved back, where would we put the kids for school? What would that cost? Would they get as good an education? Where would we want to live and what would that cost?” Each time we’ve searched our souls, we’ve talked ourselves in a circle and decided to stay.

Many people look at life overseas in terms of a lower cost of living - and this can be a huge factor in their decision to live overseas. But the quality of life is what seeps into you slowly, and once it gets hold, it won’t let you go.